Damper-controlling means for cotton-picking machines



Jufly 17, 1923- A. ST. ONGE DAMPER CONTROLLING M BANS FOR COTTON PICKING MACHINES Filed Aug. 11, 1922 Damper-Controlling proved Patented July 17, 1923.

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All/[ASA ST. ONGE, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

DAMPER-CONTROLLING MEANS FOR, COTTON-PICKING MACHINES.

Application filed August 11, 1922. .SerialNo. 581,150.

T 0 all w from it may concern Be it known that 1, Areas. Sr. ONGE, of Providence, in the county of Providence, State of Rhode Island have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Cotton- Picking Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

In Letters Patent No. 1,076,715 granted to me October 28, 1913, there is shown, described, and claimed a cotton picking machine including a damper plate spanning the space between two grids, such plate resting upon one and supported adjacent the other grid by rods depending therefrom so that the damper plate may be adjusted toward and from a fixed plate, the purpose of this damper plate being to regulate the upward draft through the last few bars of the first grid so that the cotton fibers may float away without affecting the fall of the lightest dust and motes. my present invention to provide an immeans for adjusting the damper shown in my before noted patent so as to overcome the difficulty heretofore experienced in getting into the machine for ad justing the means supporting the plate on the two rods, the controlling means being located within easy reach of an operator, and a further object is to so construct the parts of the machine adjacent the damper plate as to prevent any loss ofcotton from the damper plate when the machine is stopped with the damper plate opened.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of portions of a cotton picking machine, parts being shown in section.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the baffle plates.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the damper plate operating mechanism.

Cotton picking machines are well known having a pair of feed rolls, a beater, a set of grid bars over which the cotton is received from the rolls and where it is rapidly whipped, a second set of grid bars spaced from the first set and over which second set the cotton passes and is formed into a lap on the cage wheels.

At 1 I have shown a damper plate bridging the space between the first and second sets of grid bars and hinged as at 2 to the It is the object of,

structure supporting the second set. A fixed plate 3 is arranged adjacent the end'of the first set of grid bars, while a perforated baffle plate 4 projects downwardly beneath the plate 3, a partition 5 swingingly supported by the plate 3 forming a means allowing access to the interior of the machine and also acting to regulate, to some extent, the air introduced to the machine by the fan and preventing back draft at the grids.

The damper plate 1 is operated in its movement relative to the fixed plate adjacent the first set of grid bars by a leverage mechanism including a toggle connection, through links 6 and 7, the former secured to the damper at its free end, with a transverse shaft 8 suitably supported by the frame work of the machine and having one end projecting beyond such frame work. Fitted to this extension of the shaft 8 is an operating handle 9. A series of apertures 10 in the side of the machine and which are arranged in an arc with the shaft 8 as a center, are adapted to receive a spring pin 12 projecting from the handle so as to hold the handle in different positions for the purpose of regulating the positions of the damper and thereby the volume of air passing upwardly between the grid bars.

The described arrangement is such that I can thoroughly regulate the draft through the space between the grids with but little effort, and by use of the perforated baffle plate I prevent any tendency of cotton to lay on the damper and roll off the plate when the machine is idle, air, when the damper plate 1 is open passing into the machine through the perforations of the plate 4: with a decrease in the amount of air entering through the first set of grids.

The advantages of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It is clearly manifest that I have provided a very simple mechanism for controlling the open ing between the two spaced grids and one which is readily operated by simply turning a handle on the outside of the machine, self carried means being provided for looking the handle in adjusted position.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a cotton picking machine, a grid, a second grid spaced therefrom, a perforated baffle plate adjacent the first grid, a damper plate supported at one end by the second grid, and engaging the baffle plate, and means for adjusting said damper plate.

2. In a cottonpicking machine, a grid, a second grid spaced therefrom, a curved perforated baffle plate adjacent the first grid, a damper plate pivotally supported at one end by the second grid andengaging. the baflie plate, and means for cooperating with the opposite end of said damper plate for moving it relative to the baflie plate.

3. In a cotton picking machine, a grid,

a second grid spaced therefrom, a clown- -.wardly curved baffle plate adjacent the first grid, a damper plate pivotally supported at one: end by the second grid, and engaging the baffle plate, and a leverage mechanism cooperating with the opposite end of said damper plate for moving it relative to the baflle plate.

4. In a cotton picking machine, a grid, a

second grid spaced therefrom, a downwardly curved baffle plate adjacent the first grid, a pivoted damper plate supported at one end-by the second grid, a shaft arranged beneath said damper plate and'extending transversely of the machine and through one side, an operating'handle secured to the extension of said shaft, and a toggle con jacent the first grid, a-damper plate pivotally supported at one end by the second grid, a shaft arranged beneath said damper plate and extending transversely of the machine and through one side, a toggle connection between said shaft and damperplate, an operating handle secured to the extension of said shaft for moving the free end of the damper plate, andmeans for holding said handle in adjusted position.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

AM sA sT onen 

